Broken Link
In the Federation-Klingon War (2372-73) ' |image= |series= |production=40510-498 |producer(s)= |story= George Brozak |script= Ira Steven Behr and Robert Hewitt Wolfe |director= Les Landau |imdbref=tt0708509 |guests=Andrew J. Robinson as Garak, Salome Jens as Female Shapeshifter, Robert O'Reilly as Gowron, Jill Jacobson as Aroya, Leslie Bevis as Freighter Captain |previous_production=Body Parts |next_production=Apocalypse Rising |episode=DS9 S04E025 |airdate= 17 June 1996 |previous_release=Body Parts |next_release=(DS9) Apocalypse Rising (Overall) Basics Part 1 |story_date(s)=49962.4 (2372) |previous_story=Body Parts |next_story=(DS9) Apocalypse Rising (Overall) Basics Part 1 }} =Summary= Odo is rushed to the Infirmary when he suddenly collapses. After a thorough examination, Bashir determines that Odo is losing the ability to maintain his solid form, but it is unclear as to why. Despite his protests, Bashir gives the patient strict orders to remain under observation since movement could bring on another attack. Odo reluctantly consents, until Kira brings him the day's criminal activities report to take his mind off his troubles. He sees a suspicious notation, leaves the Infirmary to investigate, and promptly collapses into a puddle of goo. His condition worsening, Odo realizes there is only one place he can find help — with his people, the Founders. Sisko, O'Brien, Worf, Bashir, Dax, and Garak take him into the Gamma Quadrant on the Defiant to find his mysterious homeworld. Soon, the Defiant, is intercepted by a squadron of Jem'Hadar warships. Three Jem'Hadar warriors and the Female Shapeshifter who confronted Odo in the past materialize on the bridge. She has come for him, stating that only returning to this homeworld's Great Link can help him, and takes over the ship's navigation controls to keep secret their destination. She then meets with Odo and is able to stabilize his condition temporarily by linking with him. He then realizes that the Founders caused his illness to force him to return. As the only Changeling to kill another of his kind, Odo has been brought back to be judged by his own people. The Female Shapeshifter explains that Odo must rejoin the Great Link, not only to be cured of his illness, but in order to allow his people to determine whether his actions were justified, and what punishment should be given. Sisko and the others try to develop a plan to protect Odo, but he tells them that he wants to be judged. Upon arrival at the homeworld, Sisko and Bashir transport to the surface with Odo and the Female Shapeshifter, then watch helplessly as the Changelings disappear into the sea of goo that is Odo's people — joined in the Great Link. On the Defiant, Worf catches Garak attempting to fire the ship's weapons on the planet, refusing to help him commit genocide on the Founders and kill Sisko, Bashir, and Odo in the process. Later, Odo is expelled from the Great Link — as a human. The Female Shapeshifter explains that this is their punishment, but left Odo's face as it was to remind him of what he lost. Soon after returning to the station, a message from Gowron, leader of the Klingon Empire, is received. As the crew watches what borders on a declaration of war against the Federation, Odo reaches a startling realization. Gowron is not a Klingon at all. He is a Changeling. =Errors and Explanations= Nit Central # Cableface on Tuesday, December 15, 1998 - 2:13 pm: I think it was a bit stupid the way the writers felt they needed to add "...the leader of the Klingon empire...."to Gowron's name.As if anyone didn't already know. Probably done to emphasise his position. # Kevin S on Monday, May 10, 1999 - 4:59 pm: Doesn't anybody find it a maaaaaaajor stretch the Founders can turn another Changeling into a human? Rene on Thursday, May 13, 1999 - 12:21 pm: Not really. It's more like they forced him to become human and then took away his shape shifting abilities so that he would have to remain human. Thus, all the baby changeling had to do was give him back his abilities. # Kathryn Ramage on Monday, February 21, 2000 - 12:10 pm: Why is Bashir so irked about Garak being in the Defiant's sickbay? Sisko allowed Garak to come along on the mission provided he told Odo stories to take his mind off his illness; Garak is doing what he was asked to, and Odo is obviously entertained. Everyone's happy, so what's Bashir whining about? Did Sisko not tell him about this arrangement? Maybe the constant sound of Garak’s voice is getting on the doctor’s nerves! # Dave on Thursday, August 09, 2001 - 4:09 pm: Because of his condition Odo can't be transported to the Defiant so he has to walk. Why not use a wheelchair or some like device? If moving makes Odo's illness worse why make him walk all the way from the infirmary to the Defiant? Anonymous on Monday, August 13, 2001 - 9:27 am: Dave, this is a walk of honor for Odo. Like Alec Guiness walking out of the sweatbox in "Bridge on the River Kwai." # Rene on Thursday, June 13, 2002 - 8:16 pm: Six months in a holding cell, huh? Wouldn't that be a problem for Mr. Claustrophobic? Mark Stanley on Friday, June 14, 2002 - 4:51 pm: Probably, yes. However, nobody but Garak knew he was claustrophobic at this point. (Ironic, since he did say he was snooping around phaser control because his quarters on the Defiant were "claustrophobic.") It wasn't enough of a problem to give him an attack, though, since in "By Inferno's Light," he says to himself, "You haven't had one of these attacks in *years*." But it would certainly be worse for him than for a non-claustrophobic person. Rene on Friday, June 14, 2002 - 7:33 pm: I'm not claustrophobic, but I think I'd go crazy being trapped six months in Odo's holding cells. Look how small they are. Mark Stanley on Saturday, June 15, 2002 - 3:44 am: Yeah, I'd go bonkers, too, in one of those little holding cells. But Garak apparently has *amazing* self-control -- I'm not claustrophobic, but I used to have an extremely severe phobia, so I know what it feels like to be exposed to the object of a phobia and have to attempt to control oneself. At least he would have something to do -- he had to make Odo some clothes. :) Mike Ram on Sunday, January 05, 2003 - 8:07 pm: So THAT'S why Odo didn't immediately lock Garak up, even though Garak could might have gotten the Defiant crew killed and started a war with the Dominion. He wanted a hand-made uniform to wear. # Joel Croteau (Jcroteau) on Saturday, March 29, 2008 - 5:59 pm:''Why was it necessary to have Odo walk across the promenade from sickbay to the Defiant? Given his condition, wouldn't it have been better to stretcher him out? 'LUIGI NOVI (Lnovi) on Sunday, March 30, 2008 - 9:58 am: They might very well have intended to, but given how proud Odo is, he might've refused it. Chris Booton (Cbooton) on Sunday, March 30, 2008 - 1:39 pm: Given the fact that they offered to clear the Promenade for him but he refused, I can see that being a true.' # ''Lee Wilson on Thursday, August 27, 2009 - 9:23 am: They want to bring Odo to the planet to pass judgement on him because other than Odo, "no changeling has ever harmed another." I don't know...they infect him with some sort of sickness which is clearly causing him pain and will eventually kill him. The female changeling seemed like she was willing to let him die if he didn't agree to join the link. Sure sounds to me like they were harming him. I guess the founders didn't really think their plan through very well. Rosewood Lane on Thursday, August 27, 2009 - 1:45 pm: The founders were willing to make an exception in Odo's case, seeing how he was the first to ever harm another changeling. Luigi_novi (Luigi_novi) on Thursday, August 27, 2009 - 2:43 pm: I believe their problem was that no Changeling had ever harmed another prior to Odo accidentally killing the Krjensky Changeling in The Adversary. Lee Wilson on Thursday, August 27, 2009 - 4:35 pm: Keep in mind that they always say that no changeling has ever harmed another, not killed. Odo's only crime is breaking this rule, so I find it odd that they are willing to go ahead and break this rule too before passing judgement on him. Unless maybe when they say "harmed" they really do mean "killed." If I recall correctly the Krajenski changeling stabbed Odo with his hand at one point and it looked kind of painful. Rosewood Lane on Thursday, August 27, 2009 - 7:15 pm: If someone KILLED you, that would be pretty HARMFUL to your existance wouldn't it? :-) # Tim McCree (Tim_m) on Wednesday, March 20, 2013 - 12:07 am:''The Female Founder is not known for honesty in this episode. When Garak asks her if any Cardassians survived the attack that took place in The Die is Cast, she tells him that none of them did. Of course, we find out later it was a lie, there WERE survivors, as Garak was later to find out himself (In Purgatory's Shadow). It's clear she lied to Garak out of spite. Her comment "Your people were doomed the moment they attacked us." fit this episode. We learn that the Dominion was behind the Klingons attacking Cardassia (the Changling posing as General Martok no doubt prodded Gowron into launching the attack). 'Luigi_novi (Luigi_novi) on Thursday, March 21, 2013 - 5:42 pm: Or simply because she didn't want it known that the Founders had prisoners. Tim McCree (Tim_m) on Friday, March 22, 2013 - 12:25 am:''That is possible. Perhaps when Dukat was negotiating Cardassia's joining the Dominion, the Founders then told him they were holding Cardassian prisoners from their failed attack. They then offered to free them when Cardassia became part of the Dominion, which they did. Clearly Dukat knew about the prisoners by the time of By Inferno's Light, when Cardassia becomes the Dominion's only Alpha Quadrant member. Furthermore, he knew that Garak was a prisoner, because he made it clear that the Dominion could hang on to him.''Luigi_novi (Luigi_novi) on Friday, March 22, 2013 - 9:20 pm:''Now that was spite. ''Tim McCree (Tim_m) on Saturday, March 23, 2013 - 12:50 am:''Given that Dukat hated Garak's guts, it's not surprising he did this (plus it would make sure Garak never got near Ziyal again).' Category:Episodes Category:Deep Space Nine